


The Words We Want to Hear

by bboiseux



Series: Critical Role Campaign 2 [23]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Comfort, Discrimination, Ficlet, Gen, Mild Angst, c2e024
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 10:18:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15094676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bboiseux/pseuds/bboiseux
Summary: When a gnome reminds Nott that she can't escape being a goblin, both Beau and Caleb offer comfort in their different ways.For the Prompts:Beau gives nott a more in depth self worth talk then the one she did after the shop owner denied her when they have down time AND Caleb making Nott feel better after she was forcibly reminded in the gnome town that she was a goblin.Reading Time:abt 4 mins.





	The Words We Want to Hear

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Anonymous Tumblr User](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Anonymous+Tumblr+User).



“Hey Nott.”  Beau was leaning against the wall in the hallway as Nott came up the stairs.  “You got a minute?”

Nott glanced towards the closed door of her room.  She knew that Caleb was getting ready for bed inside.  “Sure?”

“I just wanted you to know that you don’t have to worry about people like that asshole gnome.”

Nott racked her mind.  “Which asshole gnome was that?  I feel like a lot of these gnomes are assholes.”

“You know, the fucker with the fireworks.”

“Oh, yeah.”  Nott looked down and worked at a floorboard with the toe of her foot.  “I’m used to that.”

Beau huffed.  “Well, you shouldn’t have to be.  There’s nothing wrong with you.  There’s something wrong with people like that.”

“But—but, they’re right.  Goblins are mean, nasty animals.  They’re right to be scared of me.  I’d be scared of me.”

“You act like a douchebag to someone, yeah, sure, they get to treat you like shit.  They catch you stealing from you, well, I figure you just printed them asshole cash and handed it over to them to spend.  But they look at you and decide you’re a douchebag before you even open your mouth?  That’s a fucking bigot and fuck them.”  Beau squatted down, matching Nott’s height.  “Look, I know it can be hard when you’ve been told you’re shit your whole life to shake that off—“

“Even other goblins thought I was shit!” shrieked Nott.

“So what?  Fuck them.  You didn’t even like them.”

 “That is true.”

“Look, maybe my judgment is shit—“

Nott nodded furiously.

“—yeah, and fuck you too—but I think I’m actually a pretty good judge of people.  And you’re good people.  She put her hand on Nott’s shoulder.  “When you first showed up, I didn’t trust you because you would have thrown any one of us to the wolves to save Caleb—“

Nott was still nodding.  “Yep.  Yep.  Definitely.”

“—But now I see how loyal and protective you are.  I respect that.”

Nott squirmed uncomfortably.  “Okay?”

“Look.  I’m just saying fuck that asshole, alright?”  She stood up.  “Live so you can sleep at night.  Don’t worry about anyone else.”  And she walked away.

Nott stared after her for a moment and then pushed open the door to her room.

Caleb was sitting on one of the beds comparing two books.  He looked up as Nott came in.

“Ah, Nott. Have you decided to turn in for the night?”

Nott closed the door.  “Yeah?  I think so?”  She glanced back at the closed door.  “I think Beau was just trying to make me feel better?  It was weird.”

Caleb nodded.  “That Beau is a good egg.  She just—“ He waved a hand in front of his face.  “—has a wall between her and the world.  It can make it difficult.  What was she making you feel better about?”

“Oh.  Just some gnome who wouldn’t sell me fireworks.  He noticed I was a goblin.”  She climbed up on the bed next to Caleb and let her feet dangle, watching them swing back and forth.  “It wasn’t that a big a deal.  Fairly normal stuff.”

Caleb closed his books and set them on the bed.  “Does it bother you?  How these people treat you?”

Nott nervously kneaded at her thighs.  “I guess so.  I-I don’t want them to look at me like that.  But I also can’t blame them.  I hate goblins too.”  She turned a hand over and looked at the jagged nails breaking through filthy bandages.  “What is there to like?”

“There is much to like from my perspective.”

“All of you say that.”  Nott’s lips quivered as she spoke.  “But what if I was a Halfling?  What if I was exactly me, but a Halfling?  Wouldn’t I be better?”

Caleb was silent, his eyes focused on some distant point.  “We all wish we could be different in some way.”

Nott rested her hand on Caleb’s and gave a little squeeze.  “And if you had the chance to change that thing, wouldn’t you do it in a heartbeat?”

“ _Ja_.”  Caleb’s voice seemed to come from a million miles away, his eyes bearing in on that invisible point of focus.  “ _Ja._ ”  He nodded and turned to Nott, resting his other hand on hers and patting it gently.  “I understand.  I do.”

“I know, Caleb.”

Caleb pulled Nott into a hug, holding her close.  “Is that truly what you want?  To be a Halfling?”

Buried against his side, Nott’s answer was muffled, but firm.  “Yes.”

Caleb rubbed Nott’s back and squeezed her close.  “Then that is what we’ll do.  Do you hear me?  We will find a way.  No matter what.”

Nott sat back, sniffling slightly.  “Thank you, Caleb.”  She wiped her nose with her hand.  “You know I’ll do the same for you, right?  We’ll change it.  You won’t have to live with it anymore.”

It was too quiet to even be a whisper.  “ _Ja.”_

**Author's Note:**

> I am also [bboiseux on tumblr](https://bboiseux.tumblr.com/).
> 
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